Verbena plant named ‘Sunmarimura’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Sunmarimura’, characterized by its compact and trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and purple violet-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunmarimura’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunmarimura’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, trailing and freely-branching Verbena cultivars with attractive flower coloration.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 2005 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number VW337, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number H-31, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since November, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunmarimura’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunmarimura’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena:

-   -   1. Compact and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Purple violet-colored flowers that are held above and beyond         the foliage.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are larger than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are larger than plants of the male         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have pale violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of Verbena ‘Sunmariba’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,801. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Verbena differed primarily from plants of ‘Sunmariba’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were smaller than plants of         ‘Sunmariba’.         -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had smaller leaves than plants             of ‘Sunmariba’.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena flowered earlier and more freely         than plants of ‘Sunmariba’.     -   4. Plants of the new Verbena had larger inflorescences and         flowers than plants of ‘Sunmariba’.     -   5. Plants of the new Verbena and ‘Sunmariba’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Sunmariba’ had purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Verbena plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunmarimura’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Sunmarimura’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice during the summer in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures averaging 23° C. and night temperatures averaging 13° C. Plants had been growing for four and five months when the photographs and description, respectively, were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida ‘Sunmarimura’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena             hybrida identified as code number VW337, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Verbena hybrida identified as code number H-31, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 20° C. to 25°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white, close to 158A, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, trailing to decumbent             growth habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 16.7 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 53.4 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 25.2 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.6 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 146B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement: Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Coarse; pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 137C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             144B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 5.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers face mostly upright.             Freely flowering habit with about 30 flowers per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             spring to late autumn in Japan; plants begin flowering about             four weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 5.1 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.2 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,             five-parted. Diameter: About 2 cm. Depth (height): About             3.1 cm. Tube length: About 2.2 cm. Tube diameter: About 1.4             mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 3.4 mm.             Shape: Clavate. Color: Close to N87A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.             Petal length: About 8.9 mm. Petal width: About 7.7 mm. Petal             lobe shape: Cordate. Petal lobe apex: Cordate. Petal margin:             Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close             to N81A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to 84A.             Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to N81A; color             becoming closer to N87A with development. Petal, fully             opened, lower surface: Close to N87D, Throat: Close to 145C.             Tube: Close to 145C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One single narrow calyx tube per flower             with five fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal             width: About 1.1 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:             Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per             flower, adnate to corolla tube. Stamen length: About 1.6 cm.             Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.2 mm by             0.9 mm. Anther color: Close to 144C. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Yellow. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 2.15 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.             Stigma color: Close to 144A. Style color: Close to 144D.             Ovary color: Close to 146C. Fruits/seed: Fruit and seed             development have not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbenas. 

1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Sunmarimura’ as illustrated and described. 